Chapter 21 A New Feeling

The gap was filled by something preventing us from moving any further. Though I could just easily just burst out of here, it would be problematic if it was blocked for a reason. We don't know what's beyond and if we just decided to jump out. There could be a lot of bogeys in the area. Leon looked around if there was anything that we missed or anything that had a clue on what happened. I don't know what could possibly be happening up there. I'm not confident that I might have the firepower to protect these people too.

Leon: Can't you just burst open the hole? You seem to be powerful enough to do it. Just use your magic stuff or something.

Arc: I would want to do that but what if it was blocked for a reason. Your men must've known that we were going down here. There's no way that they'd just block it out of spite or something.

Olley: Maybe you should try moving it out. We don't want to spend too much time down here after all.

Arc: It just doesn't sit well with me for some reason. Are there any other places that we can get out from?

Leon: There is one other exit but it leads directly under the police station. It's usually what our men use to escape jail during important stuff. But it sets us back a distance.

Olley: How is it that the police don't notice?

Leon: One of our men is the guards.

Arc: I believe that.

Leon: Huh?

Arc: It's nothing, let's head there instead. I'll be sure to explain something if they try to arrest you or something.

Just as I said that, a rumbling noise could be heard from the surface accompanied by a small tremor. All of us shook a bit from the force, there was definitely something up there. Leon finally nodded in agreement then made our way into the underground prison path. It took us a couple sprints until we finally arrived. There was now a wooden hatch with a switch lock from our side. Leon slid the lock to reveal the other side of the door. We were all in a hurry to finally leave the sewer but there was another problem. As I finally resurfaced right after Olley, we were met with multiple citizens in a prison cell. All of them seemed terrified, the cell was pretty cramped. It took me a while to find my footing properly. Everyone here didn't look like criminals so what the hell is out there?

Leon: What the hell!? Why are there so many damn people in here? Did the police go nuts!? Y'all don't even look like you would hurt a fly!

Citizen with big arms: We had no choice. There wasn't anywhere safe to be but here.

Olley: Safe!? What happened out there?

Female citizen with long hair: Those things attacked again from the other day. However, this time it wasn't just them but a couple of strange creatures. They looked like something out of a horror show!

Olley: Vermins. More got released into the district's side huh. That's a problem. What do we do Arc?

Arc: I'm not so sure. We need to go find the Don.

Leon: What about these people? We can't just leave them here. What if those things come in and attack. We seen what those things can do.

Arc: Don't tell me you're turning soft? What happened to just being a thug?

Leon: Tch, I guess this is it then.

Arc: What?

Leon: I don't want to leave these people. They're scared and don't know how to fight those things. Leaving them here would basically leave them to their deaths. I think this is where we converge.

Arc: And you think you can defend them? The Don is expecting you back y'know.

Leon: That's alright. I'm just a thug anyway. Thugs sometimes gotta disobey orders. We come by a dime a dozen. The Don can replace me anytime, I'm nothing special. I'll stay. You two go on ahead without me.

Arc: Fine.

Leon: Don't die out there Adamian.

Arc: Huh?

Leon: I said don't die! It wouldn't make sense for you to die so easily. But whatever.

These citizens started to look more calm as we finished the conversation. One of the citizens had opened one of the cells to let us out then as soon as we did, then was closed again. RIght in the front of it was the big bulking thug Leon. He nodded to me signaling me that it was alright. Leon touched his weapon then turned back to comfort the people. Did Kier ever see anything in this man? Nothing special huh? The strongest people I've met in my travels are usually the people that say that. Me and Olley went all the way to the roof to see first hand what was actually happening. The moment we opened the door, there were just flames on different parts of the district. The street were crawling with mutants blowing up anything that moves, while the vermins were chasing down people all over the streets. People that Olley didn't manage to see. Buildings were slowly falling apart as their foundations were being attacked. It was almost the same as yesterday but this time the area had some rancid scents in the air. No doubt from the vermin. Multiple of them I could even see from where we were. This mindless destruction was annoying to watch. Multiple officers from the main district had already been dispatched with plasma based weaponry but it didn't seem to be as effective as they thought. There was only one person that could have some answers though. Or at least have a clue on what the hell just happened here!

Olley: What happened while we were gone? It couldn't have been that fast? Where were the police when all of this happened? Where are some of the guards near the barricades? This is all just chaos!

Arc: Police? Guards? Take a look at those things down there.

I pointed Olley towards what seemed to be suits of knight armor almost filled to the brim with flesh. The armor looked like it was holding in some kind of ball of flesh. Some of them even have tentacles coming out of the small cracks in the armor. Metal clanging around as if the flesh inside was trying to explode out from within.

Olley: That's a problem.

Arc: We need to get to Don's house fast. What ever happened, he probably has a good idea. The place couldn't have gone completely destroyed yet.

Olley: What about Leon? Are you sure about really leaving him here?

Arc: I'm more concerned about what we should relay back to the Don. This is starting to go beyond just finding the royal scientist and getting back to Talos. Hyer is falling apart from within. And this district is only the beginning. The real infection lies within the central districts. What goes beyond this district?

Olley: I'm not entirely sure because I can't see that far beyond mine. Though I've heard that the districts going towards the center are usually with higher class folks. The industrial age.

Arc: The industrial era of Plaux? Wonder what's that like.

Olley: I wouldn't know. My district doesn't teach things that our elders wouldn't already know. My mom said that it was an age where we found a resource that could fuel better transportation. What was it again? Toxsten?

Arc: Toxsten… I didn't think that a city like this would have that kind of resource. Then again, this is a huge city that has the capacity to make a cultural preserved district distribution.

Olley: Is Toxsten popular?

Arc: More than just that. It's one of the longer lasting fuel sources that could power flying vehicles without any harm to the vehicle. It's been more than just a standard.

Olley: If it's so popular and all that then why is our planet not so popular?

Arc: Someone is probably black marketing it. They don't want other planets to know that Toxsten can be mined here. Perhaps, they're using it for other things that we aren't sure about because if it was blackmarketed then this planet would've been found out. Maybe Kier knows a thing about this.

Olley: Kier?!

Arc: You'll see, let's get going.

I started to mod our footwear then started to leap from roof to roof. However, I felt something strange. I wasn't sure if I should just leave just yet. As I landed right on top of the building right in front of us. I couldn't get this feeling out of my head. Though I wasn't quite sure what it was. It felt as though something was blocking it. But before I could put my thoughts into it, my legs started to turn itself around. I knew exactly what to do. Though I wasn't sure why. My eyes started to surge bright blue, I shot a seal right into the ground near the police station. I could feel the ground below getting ready to be manipulated. I felt the weight then started pulling it out. With much effort, stone walls started to rise and box the police station's available entrances. Everything was now barricaded with stone except the third floor. Olley punched me on the arm with a great big smile on her face.

Olley: You're such a softie you know that!

Arc: Shut up already…

Olley: You don't need to act so tough in front of me y'know.

I ignored her then started to leap on further. Olley followed suit, she was enjoying the ability to move through the air like some kind of ballerina. It wasn't like that for me because I was worried that some kind of vermin might come out from the ground to attack us. However, so far the creatures down below have been neutral. They didn't seem to be as violent as the ones we've encountered during our time down in the depths of the sewers. Leaping to another section of the city, we could see some streets fighting their wars. Olley was clearly in pain wanting to help but she knew deep inside that we needed to figure out the source or we'll be running around forever. Upon finally reaching the park with a house in the middle, some men were already stationed nearby. Some were already fighting some vermin trying to move forward towards the house. We dropped right by the men, some of them looked surprised. A few didn't seem to care because at least we looked human. The vermin that approached them didn't even look remotely humanoid! Those things started to approach me. That was going to be the last time they were going to move though, I felt my body start to surge once more with energy. My veins powering up, I punched the ground to release a seal. The rocks on the ground started to create a wave that knocked up the creatures into the air. With a swift motion, I shot out a hurricane cannon from my modded arms to blast those things out of here. Those that were blown away were lucky because some of them were obliterated from the monstrous hurricane speeds.

Arc: Take us to the Don.

Kier: Stand down men! I called for him.

Kier wasn't even in his form of illusion. It must've been that serious. All the men that seemed to look like they were ready to jump at me dropped to the ground. They knew that they weren't going to win if they did try to fight me. Kier was in what looked like his combat uniform. Steel plated edges, green cargo pants filled with various items, and what looked like a black thick sleeveless turtleneck shirt strapped with some items. He was ready to fight with his men before we even arrived. We entered his now fortified house. The district was falling into ruin and the only place that's safe are these sectors. We arrived back into the discussion room from earlier but this time there were papers all over the place. He hurriedly placed a map on the center of the table. His face now filled with great annoyance.

Arc: What the hell happened? We weren't gone that long!

Kier: I'm not sure what happened! Everything just hit the fans when y'all left! Now the whole place is tearing itself apart.

Olley: Tell us the first part!

Kier: It was only hours ago that it started. There was no warning or anything. Y'know that feeling when you see lightning for the first time. The thing just flashes and then the boom comes. It was just like that. The wall you created just suddenly broke. Nobody saw anything! There was just a noise similar to a loud horn. The whole thing just collapsed.

Arc: Terra…

Kier: Huh? You know something?

Arc: Just a few assumptions. I'm not entirely sure.

Kier: Well whatever happened, it released the mutants with power again on this side of the districts. Without your help this one was a shit show. Even the capital guards had no fucking clue on how to handle it. Moments later, the worst came. The high overseers and congress decided to quarantine the whole district. I wouldn't even be surprised if they swept the entire district soon.

Arc: They wouldn't sweep an entire district just like that!

Kier: You don't know the people of Hyer! Why do you think the gangs are working harder than the guards to maintain what we have!

Arc: What happened next?

Kier: The vermin. Those damn things seemed to just spawn out of the holes of different sewers. It never ended. We had to evacuate dozens of neighborhoods but we couldn't save every single person. It was like they were attracted to something. A mass horde just came and made things even worse.

Olley: What are you guys planning to do now?

Kier: I'm not sure. We don't have a reliable way to get out of the districts nor do we want to use all of our man power to try and salvage the streets. That reminds me. Where's Leon? Did he not make it?

Olley: He stayed behind with some of the survivors in the police station.

Kier: The police station? Why come from there?

Arc: The chaos must've blocked the passage way from where we originally came. We had to use that route.

Kier: Son of a bitch lived huh. Is there a possible way for us to make it back to him?

Arc: I'm afraid not. The path we took was through the roofs. It's basically anyone's worst nightmare on the ground.

Kier: Damn it!

Olley: What's the plan now?

Arc: Tell me about the royal scientist. A deal is a deal. I explored enough of the things down there. I need to know something.

Olley: Arc! We can't just leave them!

Arc: I'm not! I just want to know more about the scientist. It could lead us to something that we're just not seeing yet.

Kier: Fine! Here take this.

Kier handed me an old file with a bunch of scraps and pictures. Some of them were quite old so it was hard to tell who was in which picture. However, there was one picture that stood out. It was a headshot of the royal scientist. His eyes determined, long hair, and a full coat of beard. He clearly looked the part of a scientist alright.

Kier: He arrived pretty long ago. Not sure if he was born in Plaux or not. All we knew was that he had information about technology way beyond what we knew. He was the one that was able to boost us centuries into the future.

Arc: If he came in long before then how do you know him?

Kier: Back when I first joined this gang, I was the errand boy of one of the Dons. It was a long time ago now but I recalled one of my tasks was to assist the royal scientist. I was to assist him in whatever he did. This was simple but eventually it became quite complicated. Sometimes even unreasonable.

Arc: Unreasonable?

Kier: You see, he was obsessed with one thing. Adamian magic. At first he wouldn't believe in things like magic because as he said, he was a man of science. Until one day a different Adamian had arrived.

Olley: Another Adamina!?

Arc: First I've heard someone going to Plaux alone.

Kier: Well whatever happened, he finally saw magic first hand. Real magic. Magic that only a great creator can have. He just simply couldn't comprehend it. This led to his obsession growing even further into something sickening. He started to ask for things that were almost impossible to even find. From what I've known, he was never the same again. Rumours say that he's been experimenting on how to recreate magic but to no avail. Eventually our gang had to pull out from his research.

Arc: I need a name. Give me a name Kier. What was his name?

Kier: He always kept telling people to refer to him as Peter.

Arc: Do you have any idea where he might be now?

Kier: A good guess would be the castle in the center of the Hyer. He'd change his lab from time to time but he'd never let anyone inside his real lab within the castle walls.

Olley: You're not possibly going to rush into the castle are you?

Arc: I need to get back to my main mission. If this is what it takes then so be it. May Adam watch over me.

Olley: So you're just going to leave then?

Arc: I have what I need.

Olley: I can't believe you. Not even a thought for everyone here.

Kier: What can you do about him, love. He's a real soldier through and through.

Arc: I'll be sure to figure out what to do with the situation here when I'm done.

Olley: So you're just going to leave everyone here?

Arc: It doesn't make any sense to me to stay, Olley. I want to find this source. More people are just going to die if I don't.

Olley: Why are you saying it like you're leaving me too?

Arc: I'm putting my foot down now! I've tolerated this for too long. This is now beyond your jurisdiction. Going with me is practically suicide now.

Olley: I don't even know what jurisdiction even means…

Arc: Olley, stay here! Stay with Kier if you can. Stay safe.

Kier: There's no reasoning here, love. He's going somewhere where we can't be in. Adamians are just too different from us.

Olley: Why are you so hard headed?!

Arc: You're just going to drag me down if you come with me. This part is serious now. I don't want to go in knowing that I might have to compensate you being there. So just stay here. Didn't you want to save people? This is your chance, go save people.

Olley: What?! Drag you down? When have I ever dragged you down?! I thought for sure we had an agreement that if something happened to me you wouldn't care.

Arc: We did but…

Olley: But what?

Arc: I don't want to say! I'm leaving now. I'm making for the capital.

Olley: How? Are you just going to jump the walls?

Arc: I'll take the sewer route again if I have to.

As I turned back, I felt Olley's hand grab my arm. There were some butterflies in my stomach now. I didn't know what to feel about this. I want to go in alone just like I wanted. But why is it that I feel like I'm doing the wrong thing. Theoretically this is the correct thing to do. I don't want to make the locals intervene in official business like this. Kier was right in saying that we're just soldiers after all. He wasn't wrong in what he said. Yet, the person that looked hurt about it was Olley. She seemed to dislike it when he mentioned it. For some strange reason, I was scared. This situation currently isn't threatening at all but my gut was telling me something else. I was scared and I didn't know why. She can definitely handle herself from what I've seen so far but something is just telling me to leave. No, I need to leave her here. It only makes sense because I shouldn't trust the locals.

Olley: Why don't you look me in the eye and tell me you want to leave me here. You're not giving me a clear answer and it's bothering me.

Arc: I shouldn't trust the locals. It's what the platform has taught me. If you come with me then I can't guarantee anything.

Olley: That doesn't make any sense! Then why did you bother with us in the first place! With that amount of power inside you could just leave anytime.

Arc: Stop it!

Olley: You're contradicting yourself and you know that!

Arc: I said STOP!

A large tremor moved the house and everyone started to back off away from me. I touched my eyes only to realize that tremor was from me. I haven't had an accidental power surge like that in a long time! That usually never happens! I saw Kier walk a bit away probably scared of what might happen. However, Olley didn't move an inch besides her tiny stumble from the tremor. Power had finally subsided from glowing eyes. My teeth and fists were clenched but what was I angry about? Or what the hell is this strange feeling? I'm not allowed to feel this way. I have things that I need to take care of. Finding the rest of my team. Nex, Nitra, and even Terra. Understanding what the hell is happening in Talos, finding the royal scientist, and locating where this pseudo Adamian magic is coming from. I'm the only one now.

Olley: Arc…

Arc: I'm sorry. I lost myself there. A good soldier shouldn't do that. You all should stay here now.

Olley: No…

Arc: I'm a soldier Olley. My duties to the Platform should come first. I shouldn't trust the locals too much than I need to.

Olley: You're terrible…

Arc: I'm leaving for the sewers now. Kier, try to survive until everything is resolved. I want to know more about what you have on this royal scientist. Try your best to test your people if they're harbouring whatever thing is in those vermins. It might be contagious.

Kier: I can't keep any promises. We barely have the power to protect our own.

Arc: So be it.

After modifying my equipment, I boosted out of the area. The first place I needed to check was the remaining parts of that sewer. Maybe I'll find something else that could be of help. That crazy scientist had something he was definitely hiding. Passing by the streets from the rooftops, these things have quite the number now. Some of the citizens were already dead. The district was in chaos for the second time in the night. How will the king respond to this now? He's got to figure something out or everyone's going to revolt. I boosted farther and farther making sure I avoided those mutations on the ground. Luckily some of them were quite docile though I could tell some were ready to jump if I got close enough to them. Strange how these things work. Some I could feel a hint of Adamian magic while some barely had a trace of anything. A bit too much for one person but that shouldn't be my attitude. Juxo would've probably done everything himself if he could. That guy is a different beat entirely. I have to be just like Juxo. No, I need to be like Juxo...